MacOS Sonoma: Apple unveils new OS update

The latest version of MacOS has been revealed by Apple at WWDC. MacOS Sonoma is headlined by new desktop widgets and screensavers.

Apple has just announced the successor to MacOS Ventura, with Sonoma being the latest moniker for the company’s operating system. It’ll be released this Autumn.

Desktop Widgets

Widgets are a huge part of iOS and iPadOS. Now, they’ve finally arrived on Mac with MacOS Sonoma. The widgets will fade into the background when you’re working in other windows. Along with iOS 17, widgets will be interactive on Sonoma. Macs will also be able to access widgets via an iPhone provided they are on the same network.

Game Mode

MacOS Sonoma will also come with a “Game Mode”. The new mode has the goal of allowing you to fully focus on your games, and tells your Mac to focus CPU and GPU workloads on gaming. It’ll enable improved audio latency for AirPods as well as doubling Bluetooth sampling rate for speedy connectivity with PlayStation and Xbox controllers.

Videoconferencing

Who doesn’t love a Zoom meeting? Well, even if you don’t, Apple is adding some new videoconferencing features anyways. The main addition is Presenter Overlay. This feature will share your screen behind you (picture a news broadcast) while you stay in the foreground. There will also be AR effects that can recognise and activate in line with your gestures.

Screen Sharing picker has been boosted to you can more easily share apps on a call. You can simply click the green button on the top-left of an app to share it.

These features aren’t made for FaceTime, rather your typical videoconferencing apps, with Apple saying these will work with “any videoconferencing app”.

Safari

Apple isn’t forgetting about Safari with MacOS Sonoma. Safari is becoming more friendly with web apps, with web apps now functioning more like a typical MacOS application. Web apps will now be able to be pinned to your dock and display notifications.

Safari is also adding profiles, allowing you to separate your work and personal Safari cookies, history, extensions, Favourites and more.

Screen Savers

Last but not least, MacOS Sonoma is bringing new screen savers to the operating system. Apple says landscapes like the Hong Kong skyline, sandstone buttes of Monument Valley, Arizona and, of course, the rolling hills of Sonoma in Northern California. The screen saver can be set to shuffle through Landscape, Earth, Underwatch and Cityscapes. Apple has moved the login experience to the bottom of the screen so you can appreciate the screen savers in all their glory.